Cardboard cups have become a receptacle of choice for various hot beverages purchased from coffee shops, restaurants, convenience stores and the like, particularly where the beverages are not consumed at a restaurant but are purchased for “to go” consumption. Such hot beverages may include coffee, tea, and the like. The cardboard cups may have a plastic coating that facilitates the use of cardboard for a beverage receptacle.
Cardboard cups offer benefits such as their low cost and convenience, but they also have some disadvantages. For example, cardboard cups are generally not able to maintain a hot beverage at an elevated temperature for an extended period of time. Hot beverages are not as desirable once they have cooled off. In particular, many people have determined that approximately 140° Fahrenheit is the “ideal” temperature to enjoy a hot beverage. However, maintaining that temperature is virtually impossible unless a heat source is applied to the cup containing the hot beverage.
Polystyrene foam containers may be used to provide additional thermal insulation and slow the cooling rate, but polystyrene has become controversial due to medical and environmental concerns. In addition, polystyrene may negatively affect the taste of a hot beverage.
Automobile commuters may transfer hot beverages from the cardboard cup to an insulated container such as a mug. These insulated containers may be effective in maintaining the hot beverage at an elevated temperature, however these insulated containers have several disadvantages. The commuter generally needs to carry the insulated container to the beverage purchase location, or have it available nearby. Additionally, the commuter then often actually transfers the hot beverage from the cardboard cup to the insulated container and risks burning himself or spilling the beverage. Further, transferring the hot beverage in a moving vehicle may prove particularly challenging. Moreover, such insulated containers are not generally convenient because they also may need to be washed out regularly, resulting in some of the convenience of the cardboard cup being lost.